how long did you take off work with HG?

[minimuffy]

I've been in hospital 4 times in the last 8 weeks with HG. Now I'm on ondansetron I've stopped being sick but after so long not eating properly I'm still quite weak and can't manage much without feeling exhausted.

I would love to be back at work but I just do not have the strength to manage even looking after DD1 2.5yrs nevermind work! Feel so guilty about it.

Think I will need another couple weeks at least to try and get my energy levels back up and to try eating more.

How long did you need off work?

I didn't go through this personally, but my friend did and ended up having 4 months off work. You need to do what's right for you and the baby, if you need more time off then take it.

I had 4 months, then reduced hours for another few weeks and had to minimise my travel so meant I did a lot of meetings via audio/web conferencing....

I also had a toddler at home which is knackering anyway! I'd honestly say take as much time as you need, you're legally protected. In fact give yourself extra time, I tried to go back earlier than I should have a couple of times and just ended up making myself worse as the tiredness often exacerbates the sickness, try small steps like half, then shorter days when you're ready if that's an option..

Mine eventually improved at about 25/26 weeks and am now totally off the tablets and due any minute! I barely got back to work before I went on mat leave really!

Hope things get better for you soon xx

I'm 11 weeks, been in hospital twice and have been off for 6 weeks so far....not looking like I'll be back any time soon either

Just take it easy and do what is best for you.

I went back to work at 20 weeks, 2 or 3 weeks after actual sickness had eased (with medication). As you said it takes a couple of weeks to start eating again and get my strength up etc. take as long as you need, much easier to go back when better than go back and struggle and potentially go back off sick.

Part of me knows this, I just feel bad as I know I have a big caseload at work and everyone else will be having to deal with it.

Work have been ok so far. Will need to call them today to keep them updated, hate having to call in!

I was off for 2 months and then reduced hours for another couple of weeks, and I wasn't even hospitalised. I found if I went back too soon, I got really tired and was back to square 1 again, so it's really not worth rushing things. Hope you feel better soon.

12 weeks i was signed off for. i got it under control with ondansatron and had to continue taking until birth i was about 19 weeks pregnant when i went back to work. took about a week once i got the hg under control with drugs until i stopped feeling so weak

I was so out of it I can't completely remember, but from 8 weeks to about 16 weeks I was signed off completely, then light duties, work from home etc from about 16-23. My HG massively improved at about 19 weeks but I was still weak for weeks after and still getting occasional ketones and need some drugs now (25 weeks). (Though I am now on light duties/about to be signed off with SPD.)

Can you see your work's Occupational Health? Mine were really helpful and supportive and probably understood better than I did how ill I was, as I was trying to soldier on. The OH report really helped HR understand what was going on and improved attitudes.

I had hg and was off virtually the whole pg from about 6 weeks onwards. I went in for the odd day but I was completely exhausted just by getting there and would be sick at work anyway. I felt terrible about it but at the end of the day, I was just too ill to do anything. Even getting to the toilet was an effort. I shudder at the memory!

In my first pregnancy I was off from about 7 weeks until 25 weeks, then two weeks later took the rest of the pregnancy off...

It's awful and I felt terrible every single day about it but I literally couldn't function and all I did was throw up or have constant debilitating nausea.